TIME TO STOP FOR A BITE. OUR MAIN STREETS AND BACK ROADS SURVEY OF THE MARATHON ROUTE HAS TAKEN US THROUGH THE TOWNS OF HOPKINTON AND ASHLAND, AND WE’VE SETTLED INTO A NICE PACE AS WE ENTER DOWNTOWN FRAMINGHAM. MILE SIX HERE IN FRAMINGHAM CAN BE A TOUGH POINT IN THE RACE FOR MANY OF MARATHONERS, BUT THE URGE TO STOP ISN’T FROM FATIGUE. IT’S BECAUSE OF THE TEMPTING AROMA FILLING ROYALS. BRAZILIAN STEAK. THE FOREWARNED BRAZILIAN RESTAURANTS MAY INDUCE MEAT COMA. OH, WOW, LOOK AT THAT. THAT IS VERY...

STARTING LINE IN HOPKINTON? THIS TOWN OF AROUND 19,000, JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF ITS ANNUAL STAR TURN IN THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS MARATHON, ONE CAN HARDLY TURN A CORNER IN HOPKINTON WITHOUT BUMPING INTO ANOTHER MARATHON MONUMENT. THERE’S EVEN A STATUE TO A HOME GROWN HOPKINTON IAN, A LEGEND MARY LOCAL SPRINTER WHO VAULTED TO INTERNATIONAL FAME A FEW YEARS AGO. THE LEGEND OF EMILY THE COW BEGAN ON A CHILLY NOVEMBER DAY IN 1994 AT A HOPKINTON SLAUGHTERHOUSE, WHEN A HEIFER IN THE HOLDING PEN DECIDED THE TIME WAS RIGHT...